Italy: €1.2 billion of EU funds to support reconstruction works after the earthquakes – the highest sum ever mobilised

The European Commissionmobilised €1.2 billion under the EU Solidarity Fund, the highest sum ever mobilised in a single instalment, following the earthquakes of 2016 and 2017 in the Italian regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche and Umbria.

President of the European Commission Junckerannounced that the Basilica San Benedetto of Norcia, destroyed by the earthquake, would be restored with the help of European funds as a symbol of the intangible friendship and solidarity the EU has with Italy.

A first group of European Solidarity Corps volunteers arrived in Norcia, Italy, last week to help repair damage and rebuild social services for the local community after they were hit by severe earthquakes a year ago. The volunteers will help reconstruct historic buildings, including the Basilica of San Benedetto and the Monastery of the Benedictines. They will also work with the young and the elderly of Norcia, organising workshops, outdoor activities and cultural events. The volunteers heading to Norcia come from Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, and Spain.

The final green light will be given by the European Parliament on the 13th September, La Stampa reports.